Royal Colony Colonial history of New Jersey

charles ii gave region between new england , maryland brother, duke of york (later king james ii), renamed new york. thereafter james granted land between hudson river , delaware river 2 friends had been loyal him through english civil war: sir george carteret , lord berkeley of stratton. part of new netherland named new jersey after english channel island of jersey.

the 2 proprietors of new jersey attempted entice more settlers move new jersey granting sections of lands settlers , passing concession , agreement, document granting religious freedom inhabitants of new jersey; under british church of england there no such religious freedom. in return land, settlers paid annual fees known quitrents. land grants made in connection importation of slaves enticement settlers. philip carteret appointed 2 proprietors first governor of new jersey. philip carteret designated bergen first capital of colony. however, became difficult 2 proprietors collect quitrents. result, on march 18, 1673 berkeley sold share of new jersey quakers.

division east , west


the original provinces of west , east new jersey shown in yellow , green respectively. keith line shown in red, , coxe , barclay line shown in orange.

with sale, new jersey divided east jersey , west jersey, 2 distinct provinces of proprietary colony. political division existed 26 years between 1674 , 1702. determination of exact location border between west jersey , east jersey matter of dispute, border new york.

the border between 2 sides reached atlantic ocean north of atlantic city. border line created george keith, , can still seen in county boundaries between monmouth , burlington/mercer counties; burlington , ocean counties; , hunterdon , somerset counties, reaching upward point on delaware river north of delaware water gap. border disputed, 1676 quintipartite deed more accurate surveys , maps made resolve property disputes. resulted in thornton line, drawn around 1696, , lawrence line, drawn around 1743, adopted final line legal purposes.